Automatic indicators and controls for bowling alleys



M. M. BARGER Jan. 19, 1965 AUTOMATIC INDICATORS AND CONTROLS FOR BOWLING ALLEYS Filed Jan. 2, 1962 is; 5.82 g 550 5&8 3 9 E2 0:

INVENTOR. MEREDITH M BARGER ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,166,318 AUTOMATIC INDICATGRS AND CONTROLS FOR BOWLING ALLEYS Meredith M. liarger, Marlow Heights, Md. (4803 Hagan Road, Temple Hills, Md.) Filed Jan. 2, 1962, Ser. No. 163,627 6 Claims. (Cl. 273-54) This invention relates to automatic indicators and controls for bowling establishments and more particularly to an automatic indicator and control for a bowling alley, provided with automatic pin-setting equipment for indicating whether or not the bowling alley is in use, and for automatically cutting off the drive motor for the automatic pin-setting equipment when not in use for a predetermined period of time.

It is the customary practice in bowling alley establishments that when players cease using an alley, they pick up the line score sheet and return to the control desk of the establishment to pay for the use of the alley. The control desk attendant then through a master switch at the control desk cuts off the drive motor for the pinsetting equipment of the alley on which play has just ceased.

However, it often occurs that for various reasons the players, upon quitting a game, wait for a considerable length of time before notifying, or returning to, the control desk. During this period of time, the drive motor for the alley on which play has ceased continues to run, and as is usual practice, an indicator such as a lamp at the control desk notifies the attendant that the alley is still in use although in actuality, it is not in use. However, if the attendant is distracted or otherwise unable to observe the light, the drive motor may continue to run for a considerable period of time while the alley is not in use.

The continued operation of the driving motors during periods for which time is not paid for on the alleys associated therewith adds to the overhead operating eX- penses of the bowling establishment.

Furthermore, it sometimes occurs that after one group of authorized players has quit an alley, an unauthorized player will begin using the alley. If the control desk attendant is distracted or otherwise unaware of the unauthorized use, or if he forgets to cut oif the pin-setting drive motor, the unauthorized player may continue to use the alley until a subsequent check of the alleys by the attendant or a supervisor reveals the unauthorized use of the alley. Such a situation is obviously a cause of loss in revenue to the bowling establishment.

These and other similar causes of loss in revenue to the bowling establishment are avoided in the present invention by recognition of the fact that when a bowling alley is in use, i.e., a game is being bowled on the alley, the sweep arm of the automatic pin-setting equipment is being operated frequently, usually several times a minute, to sweep deadwood from the alley plate or to enable resetting of the pins.

When the sweep arm of an alley is idle for a prede termined period of time, say for a period of perhaps one or two minutes, or more, it may be generally assumed that the authorized players on that alley have quit the game, and that the alley will not be in authorized use until new players are assigned thereto by the attendant at the control desk.

According to the present invention there is provided a relay circuit which is continually cocked by an interval defining and timing means during the course of play on a bowling alley. A microswitch actuated by a cam located on the shaft of the alley sweep arm uncocks the relay circuit if the sweep arm is moved within the inter-' 3,166,318 Patented Jan. 19, 1965 "ice val defined by said timing means. If the relay circuit is not uncooked within the interval defined by said timing means, switch means are actuated by said timing device through said relay circuit to energize an indicator at the control desk and to cut oil power to the drive rrlilotor of the automatic pin-setting equipment for the a ey.

The interval defined by the timing means may be a convenient period of time desired by the management of the bowling establishment, the only limitation being that the interval should not be less than the longest expected interval between successive movements of the sweep arm during play. The interval to be determined will, of course, be largely at the discretion of the manager of the bowling alley establishment. An interval of 2-3 minutes has been found convenient in practice, but the interval may be varied to suit individual needs or desires.

It is an object of the invention to provide a novel and improved automatic control and indication system for a bowling alley having automatic pin-setting equipment wherein if the bowling alley is not in use for a prede termined interval of time, the drive motor is automatically cut off and an indicator at the control desk is energized.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved automatic control and indication system for a bowling alley having automatic pin-setting equipment, said system relieving supervisory personnel of the task of issuing the proper and authorized use of bowling alleys, and said system reducing the running time and maintenance necessary for automatic pin-setting equipment whereby the overhead costs of operating a bowling alley are reduced.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, in which the single figure is a schematic diagram of the system according to the invention.

Referring to the figure, the sweep arm for removing deadwood from the bowling alley is indicated at 10. The sweep arm 16 is mounted on a shaft 12. The shaft 12 is driven through suitable mechanical linkage by a pinsetting main drive motor 14 through conventional linkage indicated by the dotted line 15. A suitable source of supply 16 supplies power for the main drive motor 14 through a pair of lines 18 and 20. A control desk master switch, as indicated by the legends is located in series with the source 16 and the main drive motor. It is understood that when the control desk master switch is closed, power is supplied from the volt source of supply to the main drive motor 14 to rotate the shaft 12 so that the sweep arm 1% may clear deadwood from the alley.

A pair of lines 22 and 24 is connected to a source of power supply indicated at 26. The source of supply 26 supplies power for a first relay 2%. The first relay 28 includes an operating winding 3% connected to the lines 22 and 24. The winding 30 operates a pair of contacts 32 and 34 which are shown in the closed positions they normally occupy when the relay 30 is not energized.

A microswitch 36 is located on the line 22 to be adjacent the shaft 12 of the sweep arm 14 and is shown in the open position it normally occupies. A cam 38 is mounted on the shaft 12 and is suitably located thereon in engaging relationship with the microswitch 36 to close the microswitch 36 when the shaft 12 is rotated by the sweep arm motor 14. When the microswitch is closed, power is supplied from the source of supply 26 to energize the relay 28, thereby opening the contacts 32 and 34.

A pair of lines 46 and 42 comes from a 110 volt A.C. source of supply. A timing motor is indicated at 44 and is coupled through suitable mechanical linkage indicated by the dotted line to drive a timing disc 46. The timing disc 46 has a protrusion 43 mounted on the periphery thereof. A first switch 50 is suitably mounted adjacent the timing disc. The switch 5t includes a stationary contact 52 and a movable contact 54 yieldingly urged against the periphery of the timing disc &6 by a compression spring 56. The contacts it are shown in the normally open position they occupy. I

A second switch 58 is located adjacent the periphery of the timing disc 46 at a distance from the switch 5t! somewhat greater than the length of the protrusion 43 along the periphery of the disc 46. The switch 58 includes a movable contact 69 and a stationary contact 62. The movable contact 62 is biased by a spring 64 to be in engaging relationship with the periphery of the timing disc 46.

The stationary contacts 52 and 62 are connected to the line 42.

It is to be understood that when the protrusion 43 engages either of the movable contact arms 54 and 60, the switches 50 or 58 respectively are closed.

A second relay 66 includes an operating winding 68 and a pair of contacts 7% and '72. which are shown in the open positions they occupy when the second relay 66 is not energized. One side of the operating winding 68 is connected to the movable contact 60, and the other side thereof is connected to the line 40. The stationary contact of the contacts 72 is also connected to the movable contact as, and the stationary contact of the contacts 70 is connected to the stationary contact of the contacts 32.

When the contacts 58 are closed by the protrusion 43, the relay 66 is energized from the 110 volts A.C. source of supply to close contacts 70 and 72.

The movable contact of the contacts 70 is connected to the movable contact 54 adjacent the timing disc as. The movable contact at 72 is connected to the movable contact at 34 of the first relay.

A third relay 74 includes an operating coil 76 one side of which is connected to the movable contact at 32 and the other side of which is connected to the line 44 The relay 74 includes three pairs of contacts 78, 89, and 82, shown in the positions they occupy when the relay 74 is not energized. The movable contact at 78 is connected to one terminal of the motor 44, the other terminal of the motor 44 being connected to the line 40. The stationary contacts at 34, 78 and 85 are connected to the line 42.

The pair of contacts 82 is connected in series in the line 18 with the pin-setting drive motor 14-. An indicating lamp S6 is located at the control desk of the bowling establishment and is connected to the movable contact at 80 and to the line 40.

In operation, assume that an alley provided with system of the invention is in use. The timing disc 46 will be assumed to be rotating with the protrusion 48 presently at the position shown. Current to the motor is supplied from the line 42 through the closed contacts 78, through the timing motor 44 to line 49. The speed of rotation of the timing disc may conveniently be such that it requires a suitable period of time, say about 3 minutes to travel from the switch 58 to the switch 54). Finally, assume that all ten pins are in place and a player is about to begin bowling a frame.

The protrusion 48 mounted on the rotating timing disc 46 passes the location of the switch 58 and closes the switch 58. The contacts '76, '72 are closed, supplying current from the line 42 to the relay 66 through two parallel paths: from the line 42 through the switch 58, and from the line 42 through the closed contacts 34 and 72 to the relay 66. When the protrusion passes the switch 58, the switch 53 is opened by the urging of the spring 64, but the relay as remains energizedthrough the path including contacts 34 and 72. The relay circuit of the control and indication system of the invention is now cocked.

It the sweep arm is caused to move during the interval of time defined by the time of travel of protrusion 48 from the switch 58 to the switch 5i), the microswitch 3a is closed thereby, thus energizing the relay 28 to open contacts 32 and The opening of the contacts 34 deenergizes the first relay on, opening the contacts 70 and 72. Thus, when the protrusion 4-8 reaches the location of the switch 50 closing the contacts thereat, no circuit is closed, because the relay circuit 66 has been uncocked (i.e. deenergized).

But if the sweep arm it) .does not move during the aforesaid interval, and the microswitch 36 remains open, then the relay cs remains energized, contacts 76 and '72 remaining closed, and when the protrusion 48 closes the switch St), the relay "74 is energized across the lines it), 42 through the closed switch 5%, contacts 70 and 32 to the operating coil 76 thereof. The pair of contacts 73 are opened thereby cutting off supply to the timing motor 44; the contacts 8t) are closed, thereby supplying current to the indicator lamp 86, and the contacts 82 are opened in the line 18 thereby cutting off the alley pin-setting drive motor from its 110 volt A.C. source of supply.

In order to restart the main drive motor 14, the master control switch is first opened to deenergize the relays 66 and 74- and then closed to start the main drive motor 14. Also, the opening and closing of the master control switch supplies current from the 110 volt A.C. source to the timing motor 44, whereby another timing cycle of operation is initiated in the same manner as previously described.

What is claimed is:

1. An automatic control and indication system for use with a bowling alley, said alley having automatic pinsetting equipment driven by a drive motor and a deadwood sweep arm actuatable by said drive motor, comprising a first source of power, interval defining timing means ineluding a motor therefor connected to said first source of power, first and second normally open switch means each connected to said first source of power, means coupling said first and second switch means to said timing means for successive closure thereby, a first relay connected to said first source of power and to said first switch means for energization responsive to closure of said first switch means, a second relay, a second source of power connected to the operating winding of said second relay, a normally open switch connected to said second relay and to said second source of power, means coupled to the deadwood sweep arm for closing said normally open switch when the deadwood sweep arm is moved, normally open contacts for said first relay and normally closed contacts for said second relay, electrical conducting means for connecting the contacts of said second relay to the operating winding of said first relay, the closing of said normally open switch causing the energization of said second relay to open its contacts to deenergize said first relay through said electrical conducting means, a third relay including a first pair of normally closed contacts connecting said drive motor to said first source of power, a second pair of normally closed contacts connecting said first source of power to said timing motor, an indicator, and a third pair of normally open contacts connecting said indicator to said first source of power; and conductive means connecting said second switch means through contacts of said first and second relays to the operating winding of said third relay whereby when said second a switch means is closed by said timing means, said third.

relay is energized to cut off the pin-setting drive motor and energize the indicator only when said normally open switch has not been closed by said means coupled to the deadwood sweep arm.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said timing means comprises a rotating disc having a protrusion 10- catedon the periphery thereof, and wherein said first and second switch means are positioned in proximity to said disc for closing by the engagement of said protrusion thereagainst. 1

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said means coupled to said sweep arm comprises a cam mounted on the shaft of said sweep arm and in engaging relationship with said normally open switch.

4. An automatic control and indication system for use with a bowling alley having automatic pin-setting equipment driven by a drive motor, and having a deadwood sweep arm operated by the drive motor, comprising interval defining timing means, a source of power connected to said interval defining timing means, indicating means connected across said source of power, a first relay circuit, normally open contacts for said first relay circuit, means coupling said first relay circuit to said interval defining timing means for enabling closure of the contacts of said. first relay responsive to a condition of said timing means,

a second relay circuit, normally closed contacts for said second relay circuit, meanscoupling said second relay circuit to the deadwood sweep arm for enabling opening of the contacts of said second relay responsive to a con dition of the sweep armwithin an interval defined by said interval defining timingmeans, and a third relay circuit connected across said source and having apair of normally closed contacts in the circuit of the automatic pin-setting drive motor, a normally open pair of contacts in the circuit of said indicating means, and a pair of normally closed contacts connecting said source to said timing means, means coupling said third relay to said timing means for energization of said third relay circuit responsive to another condition of said interval defining timing means and to the closed conditionof the contacts of said first and second relay circuits, whereby the normally closed contacts in said drive motor circuit are opened thereby cutting off the pin-setting drive motor, the contacts in the circuit of said indicating means are closed, and the contacts connecting said timing means to said source are opened.

5. A control and indication system for inhibiting unauthorized use of a bowling alley, said bowling alley having automatic pin-setting equipment including a deadwood sweep arm, comprising a first source of power, a

econd source of power, first and second normally open 6 switch means each having one contact connected to said first source of power, means coupling said first and second switch means to said interval defining means for suc cessive closure respectively thereby, a first relay circuit having its operating winding connected to the other contact of said first switch means and to said first source of power, a second relay circuit having its operating winding connected to said second source of power, a normally open switch between said second source of power and the operating winding of said second relay circuit, means coupling said normally open switch to the deadwood sweep arm for closure of the switch when the sweep arm is moved to clear the alley of deadwood, normally open contacts closed by operation of said first relay and normally closed contacts opened by operation of said second relay, a third relay including a third relay circuit, said second normally open switch means being circuit connected through said contacts of said first and second relays to the operating windings of said third relay whereby said third relay is energized only if the contacts of said first relay circuit are closed and the contacts of said second relay circuit remain closed within an interval before closing of said second switch means, a pair of normally closed contacts in said third relay circuit connecting said first source of power to said interval defining means, a second pair of normally closed contacts in said third relay circuit connecting first source of power to the automatic pin-setting equipment of the bowling alley, indicating means, and a pair of normally open contacts connecting said indicating means to said first source of power. 6. Apparatus-as defined according to claim 5, but further comprising a master switch connected to said first source of powerfor resetting the control and indication system.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS V I 1,985,563 12/34 Fitzgerald 317- 2,684,246 7/54 Soroka 273-118 2,890,886 6/59 Dumas 27343 2,999,233 9/61 Dresbach et al. 340--323 DELBERT B. LOWE, Primary Examiner. EVON C. BLUNK, Examiner. 

5. A CONTROL AND INDICATION SYSTEM FOR INHIBITING UNAUTHORIZED USE OF A BOWLING ALLEY, SAID BOWLING ALLEY HAVING AUTOMATIC PIN-SETTING EQUIPMENT INCLUDING A DEADWOOD SWEEP ARM, COMPRISING A FIRST SOURCE OF POWER, A SECOND SOURCE OF POWER, FIRST AND SECOND NORMALLY OPEN SWITCH MEANS EACH HAVING ONE CONTACT CONNECTED TO SAID FIRST SOURCE OF POWER, MEANS COUPLING SAID FIRST AND SECOND SWITCH MEANS TO SAID INTERVAL DEFINING MEANS FOR SUCCESSIVE CLOSURE RESPECTIVELY THEREBY, A FIRST RELAY CIRCUIT HAVING ITS OPERATING WINDING CONNECTED TO THE OTHER CONTACT OF SAID FIRST SWITCH MEANS AND TO SAID FIRST SOURCE OF POWER, A SECOND RELAY CIRCUIT HAVING ITS OPERATING WINDING CONNECTED TO SAID SECOND SOURCE OF POWER, A NORMALLY OPEN SWITCH BETWEEN SAID SECOND SOURCE OF POWER AND THE OPERATING WINDING OF SAID SECOND RELAY CIRCUIT, MEANS COUPLING SAID NORMALLY OPEN SWITCH TO THE DEADWOOD SWEEP ARM FOR CLOSURE OF THE SWITCH WHEN THE SWEEP ARM IS MOVED TO CLEAR THE ALLEY OF DEADWOOD, NORMALLY OPEN CONTACTS CLOSED BY OPERATION OF SAID FIRST RELAY AND NORMALLY CLOSED CONTACTS OPENED BY OPERATION OF SAID SECOND RELAY, A THIRD RELAY INCLUDING A THIRD RELAY CIRCUIT, SAID SECOND NORMALLY OPEN SWITCH MEANS BEING CIRCUIT CONNECTED THROUGH SAID CONTACTS OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND RELAYS TO THE OPERATING WINDINGS OF SAID THIRD RELAY WHEREBY SAID THIRD RELAY IS ENERGIZED ONLY IF THE CONTACTS OF SAID FIRST RELAY CIRCUIT ARE CLOSED AND THE CONTACTS OF SAID SECOND RELAY CIRCUIT REMAIN CLOSED WITHIN AN INTERVAL BEFORE CLOSING OF SAID SECOND SWITCH MEANS, A PAIR OF NOR- 